


Breakfast

by puzzle_peace



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Anxiety, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, POV Outsider, POV Steve Rogers, Post-Avengers (2012), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Relationship Reveal, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-13
Updated: 2019-08-13
Packaged: 2020-08-20 22:01:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20235067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/puzzle_peace/pseuds/puzzle_peace
Summary: When Steve first agreed to move into Stark Tower - or Avengers Tower, with it’s single A left standing, the building held together as precariously as their team - he didn’t know what to expect.If he’d given it any thought, he would have imagined awkward bonding activities. Stark spending more money in a day than Steve had in his whole life. Maybe, if he were being less charitable, an endless parade of scantily clad women, with Stark smirking at the team as he lead them to his bedroom.What he didn’t expect was to never see Stark at all.





	Breakfast

**Author's Note:**

> Okay this is ULTRA sappy and maybe a bit overwrought but I absolutely adore IronHusbands and just had to write something for this ship. The hopeless romantic really jumped out lol. I completely shocked myself writing this from Steve's POV
> 
> Also I'm a sucker for relationship reveal // POV outsider and just could not resist.
> 
> Enjoy!

When Steve first agreed to move into Stark Tower - or Avengers Tower, with it’s single A left standing, the building held together as precariously as their team - he didn’t know what to expect. 

If he’d given it any thought, he would have imagined awkward bonding activities. Stark spending more money in a day than Steve had in his whole life. Maybe, if he were being less charitable, an endless parade of scantily clad women, with Stark smirking at the team as he lead them to his bedroom. 

What he didn’t expect was to never see Stark at all.

During their impulsive post-battle shawarma trip, Stark picked up a phone call and promptly left the restaurant in a hurry. The sound of a woman’s voice could be heard as he briskly walked out the door - seemingly some sort of argument.

Later, when the team arrived at the tower, bags in hand on the order of director Fury, Stark wasn’t there. Instead, the machine in his ceiling - Jarvis - welcomed them to the tower and directed them to their rooms. Unfortunately, Sir is unavailable at this time, it had said.

It has now been four days and he has seen Stark exactly once: dressed in a business suit and garish sunglasses, walking through the lobby to a waiting car with a sharply dressed redhead at his side.

It was starting to get a little annoying - they are staying in his home, only a few floors apart, and he can’t be bothered to come say hello? Steve had originally thought that Stark had left the tower. But no, everytime he asks, Jarvis says that “sir” is in his workshop, presently or is currently unavailable. Once, on the third day, Steve had asked to go to Stark’s workshop, only to find that he doesn’t even have access to that floor, let alone the actual room.

Which is why Steve was shocked to see Stark sitting on a barstool in the common kitchen at eight in the morning, as Steve was coming in for breakfast after his daily run.

He was wearing tattered jeans and a T-shirt with a logo that Steve vaguely recognized: probably something from his “reintegration to society” training. He’s drinking from a novelty coffee mug that says “World’s Okayest Mechanic” at a truly alarming pace. He has grease on his clothes, in his hair, and even some on his hands, leaving tiny black smears on the mug.

Most bizarrely, he’s leaning heavily on a man that Steve has never seen before, who smiles down at him indulgently.

“But Honey Bear, you know I get lonely without you!” Stark says dramatically, flopping his head onto the other man’s shoulder with a truly obnoxious whine.

“That still doesn’t explain why you thought it would be a good idea to teach Dum-E how to change his own oil!” the other man says, looking equal parts exasperated and amused.

“Well how was I supposed to know he would like spraying oil so much?” 

“Um, maybe because you built him? And because YOU were the one to find out first hand just how much he loves his fire extinguisher?”

“Yeah, well, who taught him that, huh?” Stark says, a triumphant smile on his face. “So, once again, I blame you.” He finishes that statement with a light poke to the center of the man’s chest.

“Whatever helps you sleep at night Tones,” the man says, grabbing Tony’s pointing hand and folding it between two of his own. “Which you haven’t been.”

Stark blinks, caught off guard by the rapid change in tone. 

“Rhodey…”

“How long has it been, Tones?” the man asks, gentle concern seeping into his voice.

“I…” he starts, clearly preparing to come up with an excuse. However, upon seeing the look on the other man’s face, he closes his mouth, darting his eyes away as if he can’t bear to make eye contact, shoulders tense. “I’m fine, Platypus, stop looking at me like that.”

“Jarvis?” the other man asks, clearly addressing the room at large.

“Don’t you dare you-” Tony starts, only to be cut off.

“Sir has slept approximately six hours in the past four days,” Stark’s computer says primly, sounding almost smug to Steve’s ears - but that can’t be right.

“Traitor,” Stark mutters bitterly before turning to face the other man, pulling a charming grin onto his face that even Steve can see is half-hearted. “Would you believe me if I said I can’t sleep without you?” he says, fluttering his eyelashes for emphasis.

“We both know that’s not true,” the man says with the corner of his mouth quirked in a half-smile, amusement undermined by the concern in his eyes. He removes one of his hands from where he still has Stark’s hand trapped and runs it softly through Stark’s grease-speckled hair, the other still rubbing soothing circles over his knuckles. Stark melts into the touch, closing his eyes and letting out a soft sigh.

“Tell me what’s going on, Tones,” the man says, sliding his hand down until he’s cupping Stark’s cheek gently, until Stark has no choice but to meet his concerned gaze. “You know I have your back.” It should sound out of place, but something about the last part sounds heavy, as if it has some special meaning between the two of them that Steve isn’t privy to.

Stark laughs wetly, closing his eyes and swallowing thickly. His whole body sags, as if the weight of the world has just fallen on his tired shoulders. When he speaks, his voice comes out hoarse.

“You know, I used to think that there was nothing I couldn’t do,” he starts with a humourless laugh.

“I’m the futurist - genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist - I’m the one that always has the solution. I’m the one that built my first suit out of scraps in a cave, even after they… after everything, in Afghanistan,” he swallows, free hand trembling slightly before he clenches it into a fist. 

“But out there, what I saw? I don’t know how I can beat that. I threw a nuke, a freaking nuke, through, and it took out, what, one ship? But there were more Rhodey, so many more, and they just turned around, but I know they’ll be back. We hardly won this time, with too many innocent people dead, and that was nothing compared to what I saw out there! I keep trying to come up with something, something to help, to prepare us, but this is so big, Rhodey, and every time I close my eyes all I see is everyone dying because I couldn’t do enough, because I couldn’t find the solution. And I don’t know what to do with that! This is a giant alien armada, and I’m just a man in a can! I can’t- I don’t-” the trembling in his hands has spread, his whole body taught and shaking in the other man’s arms.

The man squeezes his hand tightly. 

“You don’t think that.”

Tony looks looks down at their joined hands, before looking back up at the man, and then fixes his gaze on an unremarkable piece of kitchen backsplash.

“Maybe not, but that’s what they think.”

Before the other man can ask, Stark continues, “They already don’t think that I’m good enough, that I’m a narcissist and that I’m not a team player, which, hey, is kind of true, but at least I had something to offer, right, at least I could fight. But now, every time I even think about the army, or the portal, I start freaking out! I’m supposed to be useful, but instead I’m spending everyday locked down in my lab having fucking panic attacks and nightmares and it’s embarrassing! I’m supposed to be better than this. Stark men are made of Iron.”

He says the last part bitterly, as if quoting someone.

“Since when do we listen to what Howard Stark has to say?” the man asks, which gets a soft laugh from Stark in response. “Tones, after everything you’ve been through these past couple years, it’s only natural that you’re having trouble coping. I’m sure if you asked the other Avengers they would say the exact same thing.”

“Yeah, well, even if I could ask them, they all hate my guts. The only one that can stand me is Bruce, and he’s off god knows where doing doctor-y things like saving orphans or whatever it is he does. Maybe Thor, too, but he’s off to Ass-whatever for who knows how long. S.H.I.E.L.D. only wants Iron Man and Rogers wants me to be Howard, and it’s - just - too much. I know when I’m not wanted.”

Steve wants to deny that accusation but, well, it’s kind of true. Sure, Howard had always been quick with the ladies and was definitely one cocky sonofabitch, but he was also dedicated to his country. From what he had seen, Tony Stark is only ever out for himself. He’s a hedonist and a narcissist who doesn’t listen to what anyone says and thinks that flashing his wallet will make anyone bow before him. He’s everything that Steve doesn’t like about this century.

But he also made the sacrifice play. And here he is, shaking in the arms of another man as he pours his heart out. Steve doesn’t know what to think.

“Well if that’s true, they’re idiots. But if they’re stupid enough to pass you up, then I’m happy to have you all to myself,” the man says, tilting his head down so that their foreheads are almost touching, smiling softly with what Steve could only classify as love in his eyes.

Stark tilts his head up so that their lips are only a hairsbreadth apart. “Do you promise?” he asks teasingly, gaze flicking down to the man’s lips.

“Always,” the man says before closing the distance, eyes falling shut as they share one of the most tender kisses that Steve has ever seen. If he hadn’t felt like he was intruding before, he certainly felt it now.

They break apart, slowly, as if they can hardly bear to part, and Stark rests his forehead against the other man’s.

“Well then, Mr. Stark, consider me your kept man,” Stark says with mischief in his eyes before leaning back. “How long do I get to keep you for this time?”

“For the last time Tony, just because we’re married doesn’t mean I’m ever changing my last name. James Stark just sounds stupid.”

“How about Rhodey Stark?”

“How about Anthony Rhodes?”

“... Okay fair enough.”

The other man - James - laughs, standing up and pulling Stark up with him, who whines at having to move. James wraps his arms around Stark’s waist, and Stark rests his head on the other man’s shoulder, sighing contentedly.

“I’ll be here for a whole month before I get my next assignment,” he says, answering the question from before.

“Then let’s make every minute of it count,” Stark says, leaning in to kiss him again. James allows it for a couple drawn out seconds before he pulls back, placing his hands on Stark’s shoulders.

“Sure. And we’ll start by getting some food into you that isn’t a liquid, and then we’re going to bed. No arguments!” he says, as Stark clearly opens his mouth to do just that.

“Fine. But only if I get to be the little spoon. And I want pancakes,” Stark says, pulling away and plopping back down onto his barstool.

“You’re always the little spoon.” James says with a smirk as he pulls a bag of flour out of the cabinet beside the fridge.

“Lies! Slander! Honey bear, how dare you say such a thing!” 

“Don’t worry Tones, I won’t tell anyone. I also won’t tell anyone about the time that I woke up and you were la-”

“Okay!” Tony cuts him off frantically. “We agreed never to speak of that incident again!”

“Did we?” James says playfully as he cracks an egg into the bowl.

Stark gets up and moves behind James, wrapping his arms around his waist. “You’re the worst,” he says, hooking his chin over the other man’s shoulder.

“Yeah, but you love me anyway.”

“Yeah… yeah, I do, you sappy idiot.”

Steve stands there, hidden from the happy couple with their backs turned, mind still reeling. Stark is married? That would have been just about the last thing he would have expected from the self proclaimed “genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist.” But after seeing the two together, interacting with that casual intimacy that takes years to build, Steve wonders how well he actually knows Tony Stark. 

He walks back the way he came, the sound of Tony and James bickering about James’ cooking fading away as he distances himself from the kitchen. He can make breakfast later.

As he goes, he imagines a different kitchen in a different time, where a dance had lead to a wife and a house of his own, and for a second, Steve aches.

But he smiles too.

**Author's Note:**

> I imagine that back when DADT was still in place and they had to hide their relationship, Tony one time said something to the effect of "I wish I could have you at my side" when he was going to another event with another woman on his arm for show. Rhodey responded "I may not be able to be at your side, but I'll always have your back." It became a thing from then on. And while it always sounded friendly on the outside, Tony and Rhodey always knew what it meant, and took comfort in that.
> 
> Feel free to chat with me on my [main tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/dashboard/blog/puzzle-peace) or send me a prompt on my [writing tumblr](https://puzzle-peace-writing.tumblr.com)! I would probably die of happiness if someone sent me a prompt lol


End file.
